Back to School Planning Tips for Divorcing Parents
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 26, 2019
CCDG’s Local Divorce Coach & Child Specialist Bruce Freedman, Ph.D.,
Shares Family Strategies to Prepare for the Upcoming Year
HARTFORD, CONN; SEPT. 26, 2019 – It’s time to go back-to-school for children and families, and that brings a lot of activities for parents to manage. Extracurricular activities are a substantial part of life for most children, and though they demand commitment, time and money, it is widely acknowledged that these endeavors instill better sociability, self-esteem and development. Coordinating work, school, and after-school activities is a logistical and financial challenge for all parents, but this challenge is even greater when parents divorce.
“When parents are in the process of divorce or recently divorced, deciding on and paying for extracurricular activities can become more difficult and contentious,” said Bruce Freedman, Ph.D., a divorce coach and child specialist with the Connecticut Collaborative Divorce Group (CCDG), a Hartford-based group of professionals that aims to keep divorcing couples and their children out of court using a popular method of family conflict resolution called Collaborative Divorce. “By working together, parents can balance the activities they propose while also agreeing on a budget.”
Freedman recommends that divorced and divorcing parents consider meeting together or with a mediator a couple of times each year to plan out the next six months of activities and discuss schedules and costs.
The Collaborative Divorce team is often made up of a lawyer, a financial expert and a mental health specialist. These jointly retained specialists help couples navigate the divorce process and negotiate solutions that are mutually beneficial. As an organization, CCDG is committed to the use of mental health coaches in the collaborative process to provide parenting guidance and create parenting plans that are beneficial for children as well as assisting families with the very real emotional aspects of divorce.
To help divorced or divorcing parents prepare and organize for the coming year, Freedman shares these additional back-to-school tips:
- Divide the back-to-school shopping between the two parents, in order for both to enjoy this experience.
- For younger children, both parents should try to join together to participate in milestone events for the child, such as seeing them off for the first day of school.
- Develop a sound plan to make sure the child moves between homes with all the clothing, uniforms, books, and homework they need in their other home.
- Choose the child’s activities together, and do not plan activities that take place during the other parent’s time.
- During or after a divorce it is essential not to overschedule children with activities. Children need to spend time with each parent, and it is important for parents to have time to relax and have fun with their children.
Unlike traditional divorce, Collaborative Divorce gives couples more control over the outcome of their separation. Rather than having a judge decide the family’s future through litigation, Collaborative Divorce allows couples to make flexible agreements that address the financial, psychological and legal aspects of divorce. In addition to often being less expensive than a traditional divorce, Collaborative Divorce takes the entire family into account.
Additionally, the Collaborative process is a popular alternative for those who don’t want the details of their divorce to be made public. This client-focused method is becoming increasingly popular with divorce attorneys who want to help make divorce less contentious and painful for families.
To learn more about collaborative divorce process, visit www.collaborativedivorce.com
CCDG members are available for in-person and telephone interviews.
CCDG is a group of experienced divorce professionals, including divorce and family lawyers, financial and mental health professionals who have been specifically trained in the collaborative process. Each member of the group has made a commitment to the goals of collaborative practice in order to help people achieve fair and lasting settlements without using the court or even the threat of court. Additionally, each member attends regular meetings and training sessions designed to develop and enhance their collaborative divorce skills. For more information visit: www.ctcollabrorativedivorce.com
